Target trap



P. NORTH TARGET TRAP Filed Feb. 16, 1925 2 ShetSr-Sheet 2 Patented Dec.8, 1925.

UNITED sTATEs PAUL NORTH, or

LAKEWOOD, OHIO.

TARGET TRAP.

Application led February To all whom z'zffmag/ concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL NORTH, a citizen of the United States, residingat Lakewood, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Target Traps, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to target traps, and has for its general objectto improve the eficiency and flexibility of the same.

As Ytarget traps have been constructed heretofore, the arm which throwsthe target is held in its throwing position by a trigger which ismechanically released by the engagement of an ordinary yoke therewith,the yoke being moved into such engagement through the operation of apulling lever. The throwing arm being latched in throwing position bythe trigger and the target being in place, the operator pulls the saidlever back a more or less variable distance and holds it in suchposition until the shooter gives the order pull, whereupon, by a shorterfurther movement of the lever, the yoke engages the trigger and tripsthe same, releasing the throwing arm. If the distance to which thelpullng lever is preliminarily moved is too short, then there will be toolong an interval between the giving of the order to pull and the releaseof the throwing'arm. Where such delay exceeds a certain time, what isknown as an illegal target will be thrown, making it necessary to throwanother target in place of such illegal one. Each such illegal targetprolongs correspondingly the time required for the event, unnecessarilydelaying the operatons. Furthermore, as is well known, the mostaggravating feature of trap shooting is the employment of a slow orirregular pull, which is inherent in the mechanically-operated releasingmechanism of traps now in use.

I overcome the objections noted hereinbefore by the employment ofelectrically-operated releasing mechanism, which may be, and preferablyis, embodied in an ordinary type of trap having a pulling lever, butwhich mechanism is so arranged as to enable the pulling lever to befirst pulled 0r set to a definite position, after which the 1.6, 1925.serial No. 9,476.

by a small adjustment, the trap may be adapted for what is known assporty j shooting, enabling the operator to release the throwing arm atany point .in the movement of the pulling lever, but to accomplish suchrelease immediately after the call of pull.

I accomplish the foregoing objects yand other and more limited Objectswhich will be explained hereinafter in and through the construction andarrangement of parts shown in the drawings, wherein Fig. 1- represents aside elevation'of a target trap having my invention applied thereto;Fig. 2 a

plan view of the platform and cooperating parts; Fig. 3 a detail invertical section of the trigger mechanism, showing the throwing arm insection; and Fig. 4 a detail in sectional elevation of the trigger andthe Y means for operating the same, the electric circuit being showndiagrammatically.

For the throwing portion of the trap, I have shown herein a constructionand arrangement of parts substantially identical with that illustratedin `my Patent No. 1,506,992 issued September 2, 1924, although myinvention is capable of being used with other forms and constructions oftraps.

In the form shown herein, the throwing portion of the trap comprisesgenerally a sub-base l, carrying a tilting base which is pivoted to thesub-base at 2, the tilting base having a central standard 3' to' whichthe frame 4 may be connected by means of a bolt 5 extending through saidstandard and a downwardly extending projection 4a of said frame. Where atilting base is employed, a shaft 6 is used for operating the tiltingbase, the said shaft being shown as provided with a worm 7 meshing witha worm gear 8 on a shaft 9, which shaft is end of the tilting frame.

connected (as by means shown in my patent aforesaid) with the tilting"frame, thereby to rock the same about the pivot 2. A spring 10 tends tolift the front or swinging As pointed out hereinbefore, the base whichsupports the frame 4 may be of any desired construction7 the one shownherein being my present preferred form. The frame 4 supports a platformor table 11 having a throwing arm 12, the said arm being operated in theusual manner through a crank arm 13, a throwing spring 14, and aresetting spring 15. The

lower and rear end of the spring k15. is oonstand 19 by means of a bolt21.

' For the purpose of adapting my releasing mechanism to a trap such asthus outlined', l employ a trigger for holding the arm 12 in itsthrowing position, a solenoid for operating said trigger, andcircuit-closing means associated with and operated by the pulling lever18 for operating the trigger and releasing the said arm. The detailedconstruction of this. releasing mechanism`will now be described 22denotes the stem of the trigger, the said stem and the trigger latch 22a beingl mounted within a recess 23 in. the fra-me 4.A The upperend ofthe latch is rounded or beveled, as. shown at 225 to permit the army 12to ride thereover and depress the trigger until the arm passes Vtherebyyand abuts against the stop 24,

whereupon the spring 25 which surrounds the stem and bears against thehead 22'* will move the latch into engagement with the arm.

The ste/1nA 22 projects through the frame 4 and is provided with a slot22c therein through, which there extends alinl 26, the said link beingpivoted at one end toA a prom jection on the frame, as indicated at 26a.The link 26 also extends through a slot 27a in the upper end of a rod 27forming an extension of the core of a solenoid 2S. `Wilres 29y and 304extend from said solenoid, the Wire 29 being connected with the pullinglever 18 and the wire 3.0. being connected to a binding post 31a on alever arm 3,1 which is pivoted to the pulling stand 19, as indicated at31". A contact spring 32 extends rearwardly froml the arm 3'1 and isadapted to engage a contact on a projection 3.4. of a slidable block 35,said bloc-lr being mounted upon a base 3.6. The block is secured to thebase by means of a bolt 37 and a nut 37 In order to vary the tension ofthe throwing spring as occasion may the pulling lever 13, said pullinglever hav- Ving a handle 18nl at its upper end and a switch button 38adapted, when depressed by the thumb of thek operator, to close thecircuit between the Vwires 29 and 37. A spring 39 normally holds the arm31 away from the projection 34, preventing the engagement of the springContact 32 with the contact 33. v l Y Vith the parts constructed andarranged as described the operation will be readily understood. n

The throwing arm 12 is swung behind the latch head 22b and a targetvo'rtargets 4U will be placed upon the platform, preferably beneath aretaining frame. 41. The operator then moves the pulling leverrearwardly, this movement causing the lever to engage the arm 31 and tomove said varm rearwardly until, at the point of rest, the contacts 32and 33 will he in engagement. As. soon as the order to pull is given, hepresses the button 38 thereby closing the circuit through the solenoid28, which will cause the core and' its extension 27 to move downwardly,pulling the trigger 22-22b downwardly and releasing the arm 12.

Through the construction and arrangement of parts shown and decri'bedherein, the operator must always pull the lever 1S rearwardly to apredetermined position before the arm 12 can be released', thispredetermined position being determined byv the engagement oi the arm 31with the projection 34, as indicated in dotted lines on Fig. 1. Ytension of the springA 15, thereby to var-y the throw or liight 0'1":the targets, the adjustability of the block (which carries the Contact33) will enable such adjustment to be made, but lwithout interferingwith the instantaneous release o1: the arm 12 as soon as the order topull l shall have been given.

lVhen it is desired to impart to trap shooting the sporting featurereferred to hereinbetore, this may be readily accomplished. bydisconnecting the wire 3() from the post 31a and connecting it to thepost 33, thus leaving the circuit unclosed only at the switch button Theoperator can then release the arm 12 at any position of the pullinglever 13, thereby varying the tension of the spring 15, withcorresponding variations in the flights of the targets.

By placing the switch-button 38 on the lever 18, the rlever can bepulled and the trigger released by the same operator.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim is:-`

Should it be desired to var-y the l. kIn a target tiap, the combination,with a throwing spring, a throwing arm operatively connected with saidspring, apull rod for saidl spring and a pulling lever connected withsaid rod, of a trigger for holding the arm in throwingvposition,electrical means for operating said trigger to i'elease said arm, land acircuit-closing device carried by and movable with the pulling lever ioroperating the said means.

2. In a target trap, the combination, with a throwing arm, meansincluding a pulling lever for throwing said arm, and a device forholding said arm in throwing position, of electrical means for operatingsaid device to release said arm, and a circuit-closing device carried byand movable with the pulling lever for operating the said electricalmeans.

In a target trap, the combination with a throwing arm, means including apulling lever 'for throwing said arm and a device i'or holding the armin throwing position, of electrical means for operating the said deviceto release the said arm, the said means con'iprising a circuit, andswitch mechanism -for said circuit adapted to beV closed by the movementof said lever to a predetermined position.

et. In a traget trap, the combination, with a throwing spring, athrowing arm operatively connected with said spring, a pull rod for saidspring and a pulling lever connected with said rod, of a trigger forholding the arm in throwing position, and electrical means for operatingthe said trigger, the said means comprising a circuit having a switchmechanism adapted to'be closed by the pulling movement of the saidlever, and switch mechanism carried by the said lever and adapted to beoperated independently of the lirst mentioned switch mechanism. l i

In a target trap, the combination, with a throwing spring, a throwingarm opeiatively connected with said spring, a pull rod for said springand a pulling lever connected with said rod, of a trigger for holdingthe arm in throwing position, and electrical means for operating thesaid trigger, the said means comprising a circuit having switchmechanism adapted to be closed by the movement of the said lever to apredetermined position, and switch mechanism carried by the said leverand adapted to be operated independently of the irst mentioned switchmechanism.

6.- n a'target trap, the combination, with a throwing spring, a throwingarm operatively connected with said spring, a pull rod for said springand a pulling lever connected with said rod, of a pulling stand,

a trigger for holding the arm in throwingv position, and electricalmeans for operating the said trigger to release the said arm,

the said means comprisinga circuit 'hav-i -ing al solenoid therein, aconnectionv lie-' tween said solenoid and said trigger, a switch onsaidstand adapted to be closed by the engagement thereoil by a contact`carried `by said lever, a switch carried by and. movable with saidlever, and means von said lever for closing said switch:

7.. In a target trap, the combination, with a throwing spring, a4throwing arm -oper'-v atively connected with saidspring, a pull" lstandnormally spaced from the iirst mentioned contact and VadaptedV tobeengaged by said pulling lever, thereby to close the circuit throughsaid contacts, a switch in.

said circuit carried-by said lever, and a switch-closing member on saidlever.

8. ln a target trap, the combination, with a throwing spring, athrowingarm operatively connected withsaid spring, a pull rod 'for saidspringl and a pulling lever connected with said rod, of a trigger forholding the arm in throwing position, and electrical means for operatingthe said trigger, the said means comprising an electric cii'cuit, acontact in said circuit, a second contact operative the pulling moveicol ment of the said lever to engage .the irstmentioned contact, and meansfor varying the position of the irst contact, whereby the said circuitmay be closed at correspondingly varying positions of the said lever,and with corresponding variations in the tension of said sprin0.

9. In a target trap, the combination, with a throwing spring, a throwingarm operativelyl connected with said spring, a pull rod 'for said springand a pulling lever connected with said rod, of a pulling stand, atrigger for holding the arm in throwing position, and electrical meansfor `operating the said trigger to release the said arm,

the said means comprising a circuit, and

means operated by the closing of said circuit or releasing said trigger,said-circuitclosing means comprising a contact carried `by said stand, amovable Contact on said -stand normally spaced `from the first mentionedcontact and adapted to be engaged by said pulling lever, thereby toclose the circuit through said contacts, a switch inV said circuitcarried by said lever, and a switch-closing member on said lever, the

first rmentioned contact being adjustable whereby it will be engaged bythe second i'io Contact. in varying positonsrof. they pulling' lever,With corresponding variations in the tension of thethrovvng spring.

10. In a target trap, the combination, withV a frame, w throwing erm,-a' throwing spring operatively connected to said firml and a pullinglever` Connected-to said spring,V

of af trigger' for locking the saidy arm in throwing` position, andLelectricalr means for operating. the saith trigger, the; s'zud meanscomprising solenoid carried by said frame; Said selenorde hawlngv a coreoperatively connected With said`trgger and a circuit incliiding the saidsolenoidvv and adapte-d to be closed by thelsaid lever` when 1 PAULNR'I'H.

